You probably don’t have the Toyota Century alongside the Rolls-Royce Phantom, Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, etc., on your list of the most luxurious cars. Well, except you’re familiar with the Japanese automotive market, where the chauffeured limousine is popular among the elite, politicians, and top executives. Think of the Century like the Japanese Rolls-Royce, higher in opulence and exclusivity than the already luxurious Lexus LS. Oh, and as a vehicle you may have to visit Japan to behold.
Interestingly, after lots of rumors, Toyota announced in September that a new Century will mark its SUV debut alongside the revered sedan. More intriguing is that there are rumors Toyota would market this SUV globally. This post discusses the new Toyota Century SUV and its potential in the international ultra-luxury SUV market.
The Toyota Century: Past To Present
Toyota announced the first Century in 1967 to mark the 100th anniversary of Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of the Toyota group. The sedan immediately became something that exclusively typified the Japanese automotive world’s definition of a Chauffeur-driven luxury vehicle. Before then, according to Toyota, “the Japanese chauffeur car market had been dominated by Western luxury brands.” Any car that would unseat these giant brands must offer exquisite luxury while incorporating design cues that reflect Japanese culture. That was precisely what the Century did. It was built in Japan, made exclusive to the Japanese market, and incorporated traditional Japanese aesthetics.
A powerful V12 sat beneath the hood of the second-generation Century, and Toyota did everything to make the rear seats the place to be. In 2018, Toyota redesigned the car, releasing the third generation with some changes. One of the most notable changes was a 5.0-liter V8 hybrid system replacing powerhouse from the previous generation. Toyota has not revealed enough about the engine specs, but the new Century has a 3.5-liter V6 PHEV drivetrain. The 2024 Lexus TX 550h+ has a similar engine. And judging by the performance figures, we are looking at 406 hp and an estimated EV range of 33 miles. But the talking point has been the structural change from a sedan to an SUV.
Undoubtedly, an SUV
Although Toyota did not officially present the new Century as an SUV, you cannot mistake it for another segment. The teasers are a giveaway, as are the announced dimensions. At 71 inches, the new Century rides 12 inches higher than the original Century. It is also slightly wider than the Century sedan.
In its announcement, Toyota assured that “the new model plans to be launched during 2023 while the Century sedan will still be available.” This announcement is an admittance that the new Century falls into a different category. For many people, the structure and features of the new Century directly pitches it against the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. We will discuss that more below.
Quiet Design, Truly Century
The Century SUV might be defiant, but it is true to its nameplate roots. It has an exterior that communicates prestige and class, but it is nothing close to flashy. The Century has never been about extravagant looks, perhaps because “wealth is silent.” From the outside, you could mistake it for an average luxury vehicle. But the inside, particularly the rear seats, is where the treat lies.
Like every Toyota Century, the giant grille at the front is a cascading work of art adorned by the engraved phoenix emblem. Four set-back lamps flank the grille, creating a simple, horizontal fascia. At the rear, a spoiler hangs over the bulbous back end, while the four set-back lamps are also present on each side.
Could This Be a Rolls-Royce Cullinan Knockoff?
Definitely not! The Century sedan has its own identity, and so will the Century SUV. But it’s not shocking that most people compare the Century SUV to the Cullinan, considering their similarities. First, a blurry image of the Century SUV would remind many people of the Cullinan. Also, Toyota asserting that “the new model of the Century will be fully customizable” sounds like what we’ve always known about RRs. Describing the Cullinan, Rolls-Royce explained that “Cullinan’s Immersive Seating option makes Cullinan the ONLY SUV with a glass partition between luggage compartment and rear passengers.” Not anymore, Rolls-Royce. Toyota has announced that “noise-reducing clear laminated glass is used on the cabin side of the cargo space separator to properly separate the cabin from the cargo area.”
Despite the similitude, the Century SUV is best described as a bigger Century sedan than a Rolls-Royce knockoff. Imagine the Century sedan with a higher driving position and more vertical cabin room, and you’d have imagined the Century SUV. Also, the interior distinguishes between the Century SUV and the Cullinan. While the entire Cullinan cabin is ultra-posh, the Century focuses a bit too much on the rear seats. The Century is intended as a chauffeur-driven car, meaning the front row is all about the features and technology to help professional drivers. The front row is luxurious but not mind-blowing compared to other luxury SUVs. However, the rear seats recline fully, like in airlines, allowing the passengers to relax. Toyota includes rear doors that open to an impressive 75-degree angle, but the owner can opt for minivan-like sliding doors.
What’s more? The Century SUV has a Rear Comfort mode that doesn’t care about the driver but supports their control and smooths braking jolts. This mode ensures the rear-seat passenger, who is probably asleep in a fully-reclined seat, doesn’t wake up.
Is the Century SUV Available Globally?
The media has polarizing answers to whether the Century SUV would remain a Japan-only model or be available globally. Perhaps that is the sort of reaction Toyota wanted to create by not explicitly picking a side during the announcement of the SUV. Toyota hinted that “the new model of the Century will be fully customizable on a global basis by listening to the needs of each customer. The aim is to deliver “freedom in motion―the ultimate freedom of movement” to even more people.” “Global basis” and “more people” suggest we might get the Century SUV outside Japan. Also, during the unveiling event in Tokyo, Executive Vice President Hiroki Nakajima explained that the Century SUV “from the start had its eye on the world.”
But how is that possible when Toyota is planning to build the SUV at the Tahara Plant in Japan and nowhere else? Also, the auto manufacturer plans to build 30 units per month as the “base Sales volume for Japan.” We await more information from Toyota.
Is This the Answer to the Cullinan’s Outrageous Cost?
No! People who have set their eyes on the Rolls-Royce Cullinan are not likely to give the Century SUV a thought and vice versa. And that’s because while one is simply to announce that the owner is extremely wealthy, the other is about quietly bestowing dignity on the rear passenger. The Century has never been bothered about Rolls-Royce and Bentley. It doesn’t need to compete with them on a global stage because it is rare. It is in its own league, and its prospective owners will not likely be enticed by flashy, exorbitant hype as you get in other high-performance luxury SUVs.
But will people embrace the Century outside Japan? Most likely! The Century SUV is likely to be successful in the international market if it is globally available. We’ve heard some people outside Japan wishing the Century sedan was available to them. And now that it is taking the form of an SUV, that would appeal to even more people. It starts at $170,000 though. That’s about 1/2 the price of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and about $40,000 short the price of a Bentley Bentayga. But it offers a luxury not far off these brands, if not on par.
The Century SUV would also have Toyota’s history of commendable durability going for it. Not to mention that with 30 units built monthly, this would become a sought-after SUV, should it be available globally.
Gabriel Olakunori
Gabriel likes to argue (blindly) that SUVs are a part of nature, but he seems to have a point whenever you walk in the snow, through the bone-dry desert, splendid park-like boulevard, plains, and rocky roads. He has over five years of experience writing across a broad spectrum of topics, with quite a number in the automotive industry. If he is not at the desk w̶r̶i̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ having fun, he is at the wheel d̶r̶i̶v̶i̶n̶g̶ having fun. Both activities take him to the same destination: Utopia. He loves SUVs simply because they are all-inclusive, but he cannot turn down an offer to drive or write about any vehicle.
